Green Light For Acquisition of WILD Companies by Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of WILD Flavors GmbH and the related company WILD Dairy Ingredients (WDI) by the Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, the US-based agricultural commodity trader and processor. WILD Flavors, which is headquartered in Switzerland, manufactures flavour systems used in the food and drink industries. WDI produces fruit-based preparations for use in dairy products, ice cream and bakery products.
The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns because the overlaps between the companies’ activities are limited. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company is acquiring WILD Flavors in an all-cash deal valued at €2.3 billion. ADM is paying €2.2 billion to WILD Flavors shareholders and assuming approximately €0.1 billion of net debt.
WILD Flavors, with more than 3,000 customers worldwide and estimated 2014 net revenues of about €1 billion, offers food and beverage companies full flavor and ingredient solutions — known as flavour systems — and fruit juice concentrates and blends, as well as other food and beverage ingredients, including natural flavours and extracts, mint oils and flavours, colours from natural sources, sweetening systems, seasonings, specialty ingredients, taste modifiers, and fermentation technologies.
